Polyethylene is a commercially important polymer used for various applications. Polyethylene having high density and a molecular weight greater than 4 million g/mol is termed Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE). UHMWPE articles display resistance to wear and impact. UHMWPE is used for numerous applications including manufacture of automobile parts, defense applications and medical devices.
Polyethylene is commonly prepared on an industrial scale by polymerization of ethylene in the presence of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst composition. The components of the Ziegler-Natta catalyst composition affect the productivity of the polymerization as well as properties of the polymer such as molecular weight, bulk density, intrinsic viscosity, crystallinity and average particle size.
The art continues to develop Ziegler-Natta catalyst compositions that produce polyethylene having desired properties in a cost-effective manner.
Thus, there is a need to provide a Ziegler-Natta catalyst composition that produces polyethylene having desired properties in a cost effective manner.